Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley had to overcome many obstacles to become an American icon. He was born during the Great Depression and his family was very poor. He worked hard to become a famous musician and actor. He served in the military and was treated like everyone else. He could have been a celebrity, but he chose to be just a soldier. People admired him for that.

Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. He loved music and performing, but at first he wasn’t very good. Then the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and Elvis entered Humes High School. He got a part-time job at a movie theater and studied the actors while he was working. He and his friends visited Beale Street so they could listen to African-American entertainers. Elvis loved the way they sounded and dressed. He copied them, and in his senior year at Humes, he won the talent show and started his musical career.

Elvis had to train himself by watching and listening to other musicians until he got his own style. Finally, Elvis sang “That‘s All Right (Mama)” for Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Phillips could see a future for him, and Elvis signed his first recording contract. The more famous Elvis became, the more people demanded of him. He went to Hollywood to make movies and was working all the time. He had to take pills to sleep and to stay awake. The pills became one of his biggest obstacles.

Elvis had a great sense of humor. He was always playing jokes on people and his friends thought he was funny. Elvis never gave up even when everything looked bad for him. His music teacher at Humes said he couldn’t join the glee club because he couldn’t sing. But Elvis didn’t give up and won the talent show his senior year. One of Elvis’s great character traits is his generosity. When he became famous, he always bought expensive gifts, such as cars and houses, for his friends, and he bought a mansion for his mother.

Elvis made many contributions to the world of music. His songs and movies are still playing everywhere. Graceland mansion is now open to the public and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More people visit Graceland than the White House. Elvis will reign forever as the King of Rock ’n' Roll.

Before Elvis died, his career was about over. He was overweight and could hardly sing. The pills he was taking were killing him. He died at Graceland. Both he and his mother are buried there in The Meditation Garden. He will always be remembered as one of the most famous icons of his time.